Carters Lake Water Level
Georgia · Coosawattee River
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Water level history
About Carters Lake
Carters Lake is a reservoir on the Coosawattee River in Georgia, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's the deepest lake in Georgia. Its full summer pool sits at 1074 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from USGS gauge 02381400 and update every 15 to 60 minutes.
Understanding Carters Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Carters Lake is completely filled — 1074 feet above sea level. Above that line the Corps deliberately keeps empty "flood storage" to absorb heavy rain, so the lake rarely sits far above 1074 ft for long. A reading a few feet under full is usually just the normal operating band rather than a sign of drought.
In a normal year Carters Lake sits highest through the summer recreation season and lower over winter, when the Corps makes room for storms. Extended dry spells in late summer and fall are what usually pull the lake noticeably below full pool.
The all-time high and low above come from the full USGS period of record for this gauge — often decades of data — so they're a good yardstick for how unusual today's level really is. Use the chart's "Compare 5 years" view to see whether the current reading is running ahead of or behind a typical year.
Carters Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Carters Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Carters Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from USGS gauge 02381400.
What is full pool for Carters Lake?
Carters Lake's full summer pool is 1074 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Carters Lake?
Carters Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Coosawattee River.
Where is Carters Lake located?
Carters Lake is in Georgia, on the Coosawattee River.
Why is Carters Lake low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lowers the pool for flood storage, power, or water supply — and recover after rain and snowmelt. The history chart above shows the recent trend.
What are the record high and low levels for Carters Lake?
The all-time high and low elevations, with the years they occurred, are shown in the stats on this page and come from the full USGS period of record.
Other lakes near Carters Lake
- Lake AllatoonaGA
- Lake Blue RidgeGA
- Lake ChatugeGA/NC
- Lake HartwellGA/SC
- J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill)GA/SC
- Lake LanierGA
Add this gauge to your website
Run a marina, boat rental, guide service, or real-estate site on Carters Lake? Put this free live-level widget on your page — just copy and paste the code: